VALUE OF ADVERTISING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 109, 11 May 1933, Page 8

VALUE OF ADVERTISING

COMPANY CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT. LONDON, March 9. The value of advertising was stressed at the annual meeting of Messrs. Bovril, Ltd., by Lord Luke, the chairman. They had not diminished their advertising, he said, as they considered it of the utmost importance to keep this bright and persistent. At a time when purchasing power in many countries, and even in this one, was much reduced, a policy of keeping the virtues of their product well in the public eye met strongly with their approval On the whole, there must be fewer advertisers, or at any rate less advertising, than during the prosperous years up to 1929. Yet the number of media seemed, if anything, to have increased. To take one new one, that of radio from overseas. They had not themselves utilised this service, and it would take a great deal of persuasion to induce them to du so. Tho reader of a newspaper did not need to read the advertisements it carried unless he liked. He could keep himself occupied with whichever section. of its news columns appealed to him, but the broadcast listener had no such choice. He must either listen to whatever was thrown at him through the ether, or switch off his set, and if there was one thing Jong experience in advertising taught, it was that one must be tactful .in making one’s approach. Quo buyer, or potential buyer, annoyed might well count for more on the debit side than several just interested might do on the assets side. The public interest in Bovril slogans showed no sign of abatement. In fact, it continued to grow. Even the children had now become bitten by 1 tie slogan fever, and lie was told that a favourite competition in some households was to sec which child could bring home the most recent example. They would notice that the “Dividends, interest, and commission from associated companies, etc.,” at £50,971, on the credit side of the profit and loss account, was £3977 down; £2OOO of this was by way of reduction in interest, as. of course, interest rates were lower, and it was this factor that hastened their desire, to repay their leight-ycar notes before due date.